​Whether by their actual presence or constant reminders of their potential presence stalkers aim to control and coerce their victims by keeping them in a constant state of fear and anticipation. While stalking has different legal definitions in different states it can best be understood as a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.

According to the National Stalking Resource Center7.5 million people are stalked in one year in the United States. In addition:

• 15% of women and 6% of men have experienced stalking victimization at some point during their lifetime in which they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.• The majority of stalking victims are stalked by someone they know: 61% of female victims and 44% of male victims of stalking are stalked by a current or former intimate partner, 25% of female victims and 32% of male victims are stalked by an acquaintance.• About half of all victims of stalking indicated that they were stalked before the age of 25. About 14% of female victims and 16% of male victims experienced stalking between the ages of 11 and 17.• Approaching the victim or showing up in places when the victim didn’t want them to be there; making unwanted telephone calls; leaving the victim unwanted messages (text or voice); and watching or following the victim from a distance, or spying on the victim with a listening device, camera, or global positioning system were the most commonly reported stalker tactics by both female and male victims of stalking.LKING VICTIMIZATION[Matthew J. Breiding et al., “Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization - National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011”, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Morality Weekly Report, Vol. 63, No. 8 (2014)]

Stalking does not just create annoyance; it is associated with increased risk of serious injury or death for its targets. For example: AND INTIMATE PARTNER

*76% of intimate partner femicide victims have been stalked by their intimate partner.*67% had been physically abused by their intimate partner.*89% of femicide victims who had been physically assaulted had also been stalked in the 12 months before their murder.*79% of abused femicide victims reported being stalked during the same period that they were abused.*54% of femicide victims reported stalking to police before they were killed by their stalkers. [Judith McFarlane et al., “Stalking and Intimate Partner Femicide,” Homicide Studies 3, no. 4 (1999).]

Victims of stalking need support and access to resources which can answer their questions and help them stay safe. For more information about stalking, including statutory language and remedies in all U.S. state and territories, check out the Stalking Resource Center at: